The club also welcomes visitor golf by arrangement, with two heathland courses and a Berkshire location suited to a wider Surrey and Windsor trip.
Quick facts
- Venue
- Sunningdale
- Full postal address
- Ridgemount Road, Sunningdale, Berkshire, SL5 9RR, United Kingdom Source
- Rail connection
- Sunningdale Source
- Locality
- Sunningdale, Berkshire
- Tickets
- The Senior Open 2027: 2027 sale status not yet announced; official DP World Tour ticket portal supplied
Two courses with different identities
Sunningdale has an Old Course and a New Course, both central to its heathland reputation. The official course overview links the New with Harry Colt, while the Old has its own detailed history on the club website. For a visit, the distinction matters more than the shared clubhouse name. The AIG Women’s Open announcement concerns the Old Course; a visitor booking for the New is a different, worthwhile experience rather than the same round under another label.
Our opinion is that Sunningdale rewards a slower look at the shape of a hole and the options around a green. You are visiting inland Berkshire, not a seaside links, and the texture of the day is different. Heather, trees and the movement of the ground frame the golf rather than an open coastline. Decide whether your priority is watching a major, playing one course or comparing both. That choice should drive the date, budget and accommodation. A trip becomes easier to plan once “visit Sunningdale” has been turned into one specific activity.
A view of the course
The 2028 return and past championships
The R&A and the championship’s official website confirm the AIG Women’s Open will return to Sunningdale in 2028. Their announcement identifies previous women’s championship stagings in 1997, 2001, 2004 and 2008. It also records four Senior Opens, the 1987 Walker Cup and the 2024 Curtis Cup among the club’s major occasions. These are distinct events with different formats, ticketing and spectator arrangements.
For 2028, begin with the official AIG event page and use its current ticket information rather than extrapolating from another venue. The host announcement establishes the course; later operational guidance will describe entrances, parking and spectator facilities. Keep your accommodation terms flexible until the parts of the trip you depend on are settled. Our AIG Women’s Open hub explains the championship more broadly, and future venues helps compare the announced hosts. If you want an earlier golf trip, use the events calendar instead of assuming the Sunningdale return is part of the 2027 season.
Where to watch on a heathland course
Our suggested first championship visit mixes a few holes following a player with a longer stop where approaches and putts are easy to understand. Watching several groups at one hole can reveal the differences between attacking a flag and choosing the safer part of the green. It also gives tired feet a rest. Use the eventual 2028 map to decide which positions and crossing routes are open to general ticket holders.
Do not assume a favourite viewpoint from a previous Senior Open or Curtis Cup will have identical access for the AIG championship. Temporary installations and ropes can alter the route around a familiar course. Arrive with a shortlist rather than a rigid plan, and be willing to choose a quieter hole if a crowd blocks your view. For children, agree where to reunite before splitting up. For an ordinary playing day, request permission for any non-playing companion. The club remains a private members’ club between public events. Our spectator etiquette page explains how to move without distracting players.
Rail, roads and the correct entrance
Sunningdale’s official address is Ridgemount Road, Sunningdale, Berkshire. Save that alongside the arrival instructions issued for your activity. For rail travel, use the current operator or National Rail planner for Sunningdale station and confirm the final route with the club or event organiser. Previous championship material has identified the station as a useful approach, but a future event may direct spectators to a particular entrance. Do not treat a historic walking instruction as a promise about a new event layout.
For driving, compare the actual approach from your accommodation with rail plus the last leg. On a major championship day, official traffic signs and parking directions should govern your arrival. London airport arrivals need their own transfer planning, including luggage and any car-hire delay. Choose a flight for its whole connection to the Berkshire base rather than its scheduled landing time alone. If you are meeting friends, select one arrival point and a time that leaves room for a delay. Everyone should know which course or ticketed gate they are aiming for before leaving the station or hotel.
Stay in Sunningdale or make a wider break
Sunningdale is the first accommodation area to compare when being close to the club matters most. Check a property’s actual position and the route to the correct entrance before treating it as walkable. Sunninghill and Ascot broaden the local search and may suit visitors who want a smaller-town base. Ask about parking and breakfast if you intend an early golf start, and establish whether late check-in is possible when arriving from a flight.
Windsor offers a different balance for companions interested in a town break, while Virginia Water is another area to compare for a Surrey and Berkshire trip. Our judgement is to choose the evening you want as well as the morning journey. A room further away can be good value when transport is simple; it becomes awkward when every day requires an uncertain transfer. Search results do not establish live room availability or a shuttle. Compare total costs, deposit terms and cancellation dates, then put the golf and accommodation confirmations side by side before committing to the rest of the trip.
An evening plan for the whole party
For a visitor round, check the club’s own catering arrangements and any dress requirements before arrival. A formal clubhouse visit can be part of the appeal, but it is better enjoyed when everyone knows what has been booked. A championship ticket will have its own catering and hospitality information, with different inclusions. If the party has bought different ticket categories, arrange a meeting point that everyone can actually use.
Our preferred post-golf routine is to return to the accommodation, change and eat locally. Sunningdale, Ascot or Sunninghill can suit a straightforward evening near the golf; Windsor may be more appealing if the stay is also a town holiday. Virginia Water can make sense when it fits your wider route. Do not put an ambitious sightseeing schedule immediately after an unknown championship finishing time. One open evening is a useful luxury during a sporting trip. Companions who choose a different daytime activity should be able to enjoy it without a constant expectation of providing lifts. Agree the shared meal and let the rest remain pleasantly flexible.
Visitor golf on the Old and New
Sunningdale’s official visitor page sets out its current enquiry route. At the October 2026 check, the club invited requests for 2027 with preferred dates, number of golfers and the desired Old or New course. Sending a request is not the same as holding a confirmed tee time. Wait for the club’s response and terms before paying for travel specifically built around the round.
Ask about playing requirements, dress, caddies and any accompanying non-golfer before the group finalises its plans. If you hope to play both courses, make the request explicitly and leave enough time for lunch and recovery between rounds. Two substantial rounds are a major part of a day, particularly following a long journey. A single relaxed round can be the better choice for mixed abilities or companions who want time elsewhere. Use the visitor golf guide to compare the booking questions. Never infer championship spectator access from a future playing reservation, or playing access from a ticket to watch the AIG Women’s Open.
Separate the major from a visitor golf break
For the 2028 AIG Women’s Open, build the itinerary from the championship dates and your actual ticket days. Book travel so the first morning is realistic, then choose accommodation with terms that match the stage your arrangements have reached. Leave time for the walk from the arrival point and the possibility that the last groups finish later than your own preferred dinner hour.
A visitor golf break needs a different sequence. Enquire about the Old or New course first, receive confirmation, then fit the accommodation around it. Do not assume a playing visit is possible during championship preparation or staging. If the group wants both courses, make that clear to the club and allow enough recovery between rounds. One course enjoyed properly can be a better memory than a second played while everyone is exhausted.
Our preferred two-night pattern is arrival, one substantial golf day and a gentler departure morning. That leaves space for Windsor or another separate outing when it genuinely fits, rather than because the name looks close on a regional map. Non-golfing companions can enjoy their own daytime plans while sharing the accommodation and dinner. Keep the party informed about what is confirmed and what each person has actually bought. A prestigious club and a major championship can both inspire a fine trip, but the most useful booking plan starts by deciding which experience you are travelling to have.
Make the day comfortable
For mobility, fatigue or sensory needs, describe the intended day to the club and the event accessibility team. Ask separately about the arrival route, outdoor surfaces, places to rest, toilets and the areas included with your ticket. A convenient station does not by itself establish a suitable route from platform to viewing point. Explain your limits on walking and standing so the answer can be practical rather than general.
Pack for variable weather and long spells outdoors: waterproof clothing, comfortable shoes and a warm layer are useful even on an inland summer course. Check the event’s bag and phone rules and keep tickets available without relying on mobile reception. The packing guide and accessibility advice provide a starting list. Before the final journey home, allow time for leaving the course and reaching the pickup or station. End the booking process by checking that dates, course names, accommodation and return connections all agree, then share the finished plan with the party.
History
Watching an event here
Sunningdale: a visitor’s guide — championship planning: tickets · hospitality and upgrades.
Find accommodation for your visit
Some links earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.
Course, rail and accommodation bases
- Course: Sunningdale: a visitor’s guide
- Rail connection: Sunningdale railway station
- Stay base: Sunningdale
- Stay base: Ascot
- Stay base: Sunninghill
- Stay base: Windsor
- Stay base: Virginia Water
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Rail connections may differ from the organiser’s event-day station; check the current travel plan. Numbered markers may be offset slightly, with a line showing their map position, to keep the key readable.